Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Green-fronted Lancebill

Doryfera ludovicae

The Green-fronted Lancebill, Doryfera ludovicae, is a hummingbird species notable for its remarkably elongated bill and the distinctive, shimmering green patch adorning its forehead. This avian jewel exhibits a drab grey-green underbelly, with a coppery hue gracing the nape and sides of the neck, merging into a vibrant green that dominates the crown and back. The iridescence of its plumage causes it to fluctuate between shades of green, teal, and turquoise, depending on the light.

Identification Tips

To identify the Green-fronted Lancebill, look for the unique combination of its long, spear-like bill, which can range from 29mm to 36.5mm, and the sparkling green frontal patch, particularly pronounced in males. The bird's overall plumage is a muted grey-green on the breast and belly, with a coppery nape and a rich green back. There is no significant size difference between males and females in terms of body length and beak proportions.

Habitat

This species thrives in subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, with a strong preference for areas adjacent to swiftly flowing rivers and streams.

Distribution

The Green-fronted Lancebill has a disjunct distribution across the Talamancan montane forests, the Serranía del Darién, and the northern Andes. It is a non-migratory bird, often found concentrated around ideal habitats due to its specific ecological requirements.

Behaviour

The Green-fronted Lancebill is a solitary bird, with feeding habits that reflect a co-evolution with flowers that have long, curved corollas. It is not known to have a single floral partner but is adapted to feed on nectar from a variety of epiphytes, including mistletoe.

Breeding

Only the female is involved in nest construction, which is strategically placed on vertical overhangs or within the moss on cliff faces, sheltered from the elements. The nests are crafted from spider webs, moss, and lichen, with the webbing acting as a binding agent. The incubation period lasts 20-21 days, and the altricial chicks require a nestling period of 29-30 days.

Similar Species

The Green-fronted Lancebill can be confused with its sister species, the Blue-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera johannae), but can be distinguished by its green forehead patch and habitat preferences.

Diet and Feeding

The Green-fronted Lancebill's diet consists primarily of nectar, which it obtains from the flowers of epiphytes. Its long and slightly upturned bill is perfectly adapted for accessing nectar from flowers with deep corollas.

Conservation status

The IUCN classifies the Green-fronted Lancebill as "Least Concern," with an estimated population of over 10,000 mature individuals. Conservation efforts are minimal, and research on this and related species is limited.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Green-fronted Lancebills on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Hummingbirds

A photo of a Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys)

Speckled Hummingbird

Adelomyia melanogenys
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.